Children recycle flower 'carpet' into mini artwork

Children have made their own floral "carpet" using flowers left over from a giant artwork in Bradford city centre.

The vast display in Centenary Square was made from more than 330,000 dahlias, with the design celebrating Bradford's textile history and multicultural population.

Some of the flowers were donated to The Valley Project in Holme Wood after the artwork was taken away on Monday, with young people inspired to create their own smaller version.

Steve McHugh, co-founder of The Valley Project children's charity, said: "Reusing and recycling is at the heart of everything we do, so when we were offered the leftover flowers we jumped at the chance.

"At our sessions, children build dens, treehouses and climbing towers from materials that local businesses would otherwise throw away, so the flowers were just another thing for them to get creative with.

"The young people took their ideas from the carpet in Centenary Square, worked out a design together and made something that is all their own."

The original 95ft (29m) artwork designed by local artist Shiraaz Ali was hand-laid by volunteers last week.

The flowers were grown and supplied by the non-profit Tapis de fleurs de Bruxelles, which has run the original Flower Carpet event in Belgium since the 1970s.

Matt Edwards, chair of trustees at The Valley Project and a local Green Party councillor, said: "This is what happens when you give young people space to be creative on their terms.

"The flowers will only last a day or so, but the young people will remember making it for much longer."

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